1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an optical transceiver used for transmission and/or reception using an optical fiber as a medium. The method also relates to a method of producing the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Optical fibers can be used in the related art in, for example, local area networks (LANs), direct connectors to mutually connect computers, connectors to mutually connect computers and digital audio/video devices, etc. In these devices, an optical transceiver is used. The optical transceiver converts an electrical signal to a light signal, transmits the light signal to an optical fiber, and converts the light signal received from the optical fiber back into an electrical signal. For example, the optical transceiver includes a socket, a ball lens, and an integrated circuit (IC) substrate. The socket receives a plug that is mounted to one end of the optical fiber. The ball lens is disposed between the one end of the optical fiber and an optical element, such as a light receiver or a light emitter, and is used to focus light. The IC substrate is used to drive the optical element by converting a parallel signal into a serial signal, and to convert the serial signal back to a parallel signal by amplifying a received signal.
In a related method of producing such an optical transceiver, the following three steps are ordinarily carried out. In the first step, a laser diode (LD) chip is mounted in a can package, and the chip and a lead wire are bonded together. In addition, the ball lens is adhered to a light-exiting window of the can package, so that the can package with the lens is assembled. In the second step, the can package is inserted into one of the insertion holes of the optical socket, and a ferrule with a fiber is inserted into the other insertion hole of the optical socket. An electric current flows through the lead wire of the can package so that the laser diode emits light. The light quantity that allows coupling with the fiber is measured, and the can package and the optical socket are adhered to each other at a position where the coupling efficiency is optimal (active alignment). In the third step, the lead wire of the can package is soldered to the substrate.